Don't
by Jenn Lynne
Summary: After a long absence, Heero has to protect Relena again. But, by now he has realized he loves her. And here comes the delema: Love her or Protect her, not both.


Don't  
By: Jenn Lynne  
Song By: Jewel  
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters, so don't sue. I also don't own the song "Don't" By Jewel.  
  
Author's note: Yes Heero is VERY OOC... But oh well. He's changed A LOT over the years give the guy a break.  
Don't walk to close  
Don't breathe so soft  
And don't talk so sweet  
Heero Yuy had just accepted the job as the newest bodyguard to the Vice Foreign Minister Relena Peacecraft and already he was having trouble concentrating on his objective. True, he knew he had changed a lot since his days as a Gundam Pilot, he was now twenty-one, but even so, he should be able to concentrate on something other than her. He was walking beside her to the private shuttle that would take them to a conference on L2, cameras were flashing all around them as nosey reporters fought to get pictures of her. It was so crowded that their arms were brushing lightly against each other's. Even through the fabric of his suit, Heero trembled at the soft touch. Through all the noise and yelling, Heero could hear Relena's rhythmic breath, in and out. As they boarded the shuttle, Heero was relieved that he could walk away from her for a moment. Being in her presence was just to much, and he needed a break. So with his mind resolute once again on his mission, he headed for the  
cockpit to talk tot he pilot. He returned to her side a few minutes later. Sitting beside her, he resisted the urge to glance at her. She didn't look up at him, reading quietly to herself she refused to acknowledge his presence. When the shuttle took off Heero finally spoke, knowing she was extremely upset, and his guess was that it was his fault.  
  
"May I ask why you are mad at me?" he said quietly as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.  
She sighed, "I'm not mad at you Heero. I'm mad at Lady Une and her incessant paranoia." She replied with a little more force when she spoke of Lady Une's interference with her life again.  
  
Heero laughed and Relena looked at him in alarm as a broad smile spread across his face. She could only look on in awe. "I never would have guessed you would describe her concern like that." he laughed out. She smiled widely at him and laughed a little as well.  
  
"I just don't think I need a bodyguard to follow me into every ladies room and hold out a tissue every time I sneeze. I'm surprised none of them have tried to wipe my butt for me too. It's just sickening."  
  
Heero laughed again, "If it is any consolation, I have no intention of trying to wipe you butt, or follow you into a bathroom of any kind for that matter. But I will pass you a tissue if you sneeze."  
  
Relena laughed a little then yawned, "Thank you Heero, I really needed to laugh."  
  
"That's my one goal in life princess," she looked at him for a moment, "to entertain you." he said with a wide smile.  
Don't sing  
Don't lay oh so near  
As the trip slowly dragged on into the third hour, Relena began to get tired. She softly hummed a sweet lullaby to herself as her head became too heavy for her to hold. Her conversation with Heero had continued since the flight began and she found him quite changed from the old Heero. Along with laughter and smiles, he was quite talkative now. At that very moment they had been talking about her dreams, before the war that is.  
  
"What about you?" she asked as she turned to him again. "What did you want to be when you were little?"  
  
"Promise you won't laugh?" she nodded, "I wanted I wanted to be a singer."  
  
Relena's jaw dropped. "You're kidding?"  
  
"My mom even had me take singing lessons." he laughed out.  
  
"I must say Heero, I am impressed. You certainly have changed a lot since we were fifteen!"  
  
"Well that WAS six years ago Relena." he stated very matter-of-factly.  
  
"Will you sing for me someday?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Heero shrugged his shoulders. "Stranger things have happened."  
  
They continued to talk about nothing in particular for another hour or so. Relena began to get increasingly tired. Heero noticed how she was trying excessively harder to keep her eyes open, and soon enough, she had fallen asleep in the seat beside him. He smiled to himself. "Well, I sure am talkative today." he commented dryly. Relena moaned in her sleep and shifted her body, unknowingly she gently rested her head on Heero's shoulder. He closed his eyes tightly. "Why do I lose control when she touches me?" he opened his eyes for a moment. "I can't let her distract me, her life is in danger, I have to protect her. I can either protect her, or... or..." he closed his eye tightly again, "or I can lover her. Not both. I will protect you Relena, always."  
Please don't let me fall  
In love with you again  
Despite his better judgement, he made no attempt to move her. He just closed his eyes tightly and fought with everything inside of him to think about what he needed to do when he got to L2. Every few minuteshe would open his eyes and look at her, and for that one moment, he allowed himself to love her, but then he would close his eyes again. After what seemed like an eternity, the shuttle landed at the L2 spaceport. Heero gently stroked Relena's arm, which she had cast haphazardly over him.  
  
"Relena." he said quietly. She stirred and opened her eyes partially. After noticing the position she was in, she blushed a deep shade of red and sat up quickly. In an attempt at ignoring the inexplicable situation they were in, Heero stood, and held out his hand for Relena to take. She took it with a nod as he led her to the door. Once there, he released her hand and motioned for her to go ahead of him, she nodded and complied. She had, of coarse, expected her arrival on L2 to be a media circus but it wasn't. In fact, there wasn't a member of the media in sight. Just two old friends at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her.  
  
"Duo! Hildi!" she called down as they waved. As she came down Heero began to follow. Duo cocked an eyebrow at seeing his old comrade but chose to say nothing regarding why he was there. Relena hugged her two friends. Hildi walked up to Heero and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Didn't I see you just two weeks ago?" she asked slyly.  
  
Duo laughed walking up to Heero as well and shaking his hand. "Did you?" Relena asked.  
  
"Yeah, Heero was on L2 on business." Hildi replied. "Speaking of, how is it?"  
  
"Fine." Heero commented as dryly as possible.  
  
"We better get you to your hotel Miss Relena." A young man said coming up behind her with her bags. Relena nodded and said goodbye to her friends, she then got in the limo followed by Heero. Once at the hotel, Heero was relieved at the fact that he had a million and one things to do that would keep his mind on the mission and nothing more. The conference hall had to be prepped for her speech he had to check the guest list and security system. He was truly enjoying every minute of it.  
Please let me forget  
All those sweet smiles  
All the passion  
All of the heat  
The peace  
The pain  
The next day Heero watched from the shadowy corner of the grand hall as Relena gave her speech. His eyes never left her, even when a hand rested lightly on his shoulder.  
"It must be serious if Lady Une swallowed her pride and asked for your help." Duo commented.  
"It is." Heero replied sullenly back.  
Duo removed his hand and watched Relena make her speech. Heero's mind was moving a mile a minute, again he had lost control of his conscious self and was no longer thinking about the mission, as he was suppose to. He was thinking of her, all of her smiles, how the arctic around his heart melted in an instant with her warmth. How every word she spoke was true and just, and exactly what she wanted to say. And she spoke of peace with a passion he yearned to feel. He thought of how much it hurt to love her. He He wished sometimes that he had never realized that he loved her. Perhaps, if he had never met her, maybe then he would be happy. But no, he wouldn't give up this feeling for anything. Then he heard a sound, his mission was once again clear as his head snapped up to the lighting above her. There, sitting quietly, was a sniper. Heero immediately grabbed his gun. Signaling to Duo, he took off slowly toward the stage. Duo climbed a tapestry and jumped along the beams near the  
ceiling towards the, would be, assassin.  
And all those blue skies  
Where your words were my freedom  
Please don't let me fall  
In love with you again  
Duo reached the sniper too late. He fired, the lone shot echoed in the now silent room as everyone stopped breathing at once. Relena looked up from where she now lay on the stage as Duo tackled the sniper. Then she turned her eyes down, to the man in her arms. Bleeding all over her dress he closed his eyes tightly. Tears began to stream down her face as she stroked his forehead gently, he opened his eyes again. When he looked at her, he lost control again, the mask slipped away and there he was. No longer protecting her, at that moment, but loving her. She could see it all, all that he tried so desperately to hold in. She smiled at him and said, "I love you Heero." His expression didn't change for a moment, then without warning, it contorted into something else. He was in so much pain, he would have cried out had he had the strength, and Relena had to stop herself from looking away. Slowly, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, just as he finally lost consciousness.  
Too many times  
I've cared too much  
Or stood on the edge  
And so you held my hand  
Heero lay motionless in his hospital bed. He had been in a coma for nearly three weeks and Relena came every day to visit her hero. The bullet had nicked his lung and he had developed a lethal arrhythmia, but thanks to Sally, he was now nearly fully recovered and was expected to awaken soon. But Sally had said, because of the nature of his coma, he may have suffered some brain damage. Relena sat by his side, holding his hand tightly in hers, she told him about her day. She told him how everyone was doing all right and she couldn't wait for him to wake up. And she told him how much she truly loved him, how she wanted to be with him always, and when he woke up, everything would be different.  
Knowing all to well I couldn't hide  
From those eyes  
Please don't let me fall  
Please don't let me fall  
Slowly, he began to wake. He felt her hand on his and squeezed back before he could realize he had done it. Her head immediately snapped up and she met his gaze.  
"Heero?" she breathed.  
He smiled at her and looked deep into her eyes. "I don't want to protect you anymore Relena. I'm asking your permission to withdraw from my promise?" Relena silently began to cry, but she could not refuse him, so she nodded in affirmation. He smiled widely, "Than today I make a new vow." Her head perked up to meet his gaze again, questioning his eyes. His eyes shone just like they had the day of the shooting. "I promise to love you always." Relena smiled widely, and in her haste, she forgot about his wound and threw her arms around his neck. Though he was in pain, he felt none of it through his bliss. He slowly brought her away from him long enough to claim her lips gently with his own. When the parted, she began to cry again. "I love you too Relena."  
In love with you again 


End file.
